The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a tire-rim vehicle wheel assembly.
In its more particular aspects the present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a tire-rim vehicle wheel assembly comprising a tire rim and a tire made of rubber or other synthetic or rubber-like material having rubber-like properties. The tire comprises a uni-ply or multi-ply carcass with two free end regions, each of which is anchored in a related bead region by extending each such free end region around a related bead core or cable. The bead regions are seated at seats or seat surfaces of the tire rim.
In a conventional vehicle wheel the tire is held at a tire rim which is centrally provided with a drop or well base. The tire comprises tire beads containing tension-resistant bead cores or cables. The seats or seat surfaces for the tire beads follow the drop or well base of the tire rim in an outward direction on both sides thereof and at the outer circumference of the tire rim. The tire is held at the tire rim due to the fact that the bead regions are pressed against the seats or seat surfaces of the tire rim under the action of the inflation pressure. The tire is secured against lateral slide-off from the seats or seat surfaces by means of radially outwardly extending tire rim flanges. Since the bead cores or cables are responsible for a firm seat of the tire at the tire rim, the bead cores or cables are constructed from bundles or bunches of wire turns or windings in order to provide the required stability. Such wire turns or windings contribute a significant fraction to the total weight of the tire. There are further required appropriate measures for mounting tires which are equipped with such bead cores or cables at the tire rim such as, for example, a tire rim possessing a suitable drop or well base. It is a further disadvantage of such a conventional tire-rim vehicle wheel assembly that the tire beads, in the case of a defective, non-inflated tire, may become disengaged from the seats or seat surfaces of the tire rim already after a short running period. As a result, the tire as well as the tire rim are irreparably damaged.
In a tire-rim vehicle wheel assembly as known, for example, from German Patent Publication No. 3,206,171, there are not required wire-made bead cores or cables. Instead of the usual wire-made bead cores or cables there are proposed two tire rim rings which are made of metal or other material of similarly high strength. The tire rim ring may be vulcanized to the tire but may also be mounted by means of an adhesive bond in a firmly adhering and air-tight manner. The tire rim ring may also be mounted at the tire rim in a releasable manner or in a fixedly adhering manner by means of an adhesive bond. Bolting is suggested for the releasable connection; however, in such case sealing rings or sealing bands are required for an air-tight mounting. In this construction there is thus indispensable the handling of bolts or screws and sealing rings during the mounting operation of the tire. Concerning the connection of the tire rim ring with the tire rim by means of an adhesive bond, it is plainly evident that also this method is complicated and time-consuming, and furthermore, has the disadvantage that the tire is hardly disengagable from the tire rim.
In a further tire-rim vehicle wheel assembly as known, for example, from German Patent Publication No. 2,327,026, the tire bead regions are anchored at the tire rim in such a manner that there is also not required a wire-made bead core or cable. For this purpose the bead region of the tire is introduced between a tire rim flange and an auxiliary ring which is fixedly connected to the tire rim. An additional pressing element must be inserted between the tire rim flange and the bead region in order to anchor the bead region at the associated seat or seat surface. There is thus not only required the formation of suitable holding means at the tire rim but there is additionally required a manipulation with a separate structural component, namely the pressing element, during the mounting and dismounting operation of the tire.
A tire-rim vehicle wheel assembly as described, for example, in German Patent Publication No. 3,000,428, comprises seat surfaces at the inner circumference of the tire rim and tire beads which are held at the seats or seat surfaces. Each one of the lateral edge regions of the tire rim contains a radially inwardly extending tire rim flange which is followed by a seat or seat surface for the related tire bead. In accordance therewith the tire beads engage the inner circumference of the tire rim body and are secured against lateral slide-off from the seat or seat surfaces by the tire rim flanges. Following the seat or seat surfaces there are formed indentations or grooves in the tire rim which are provided for mounting of the tire at the tire rim. In order to hold the tire beads at the associated seats or seat surfaces it is further required to insert appropriate locking rings into the indentations or grooves or to form circumferential protrusions at the interior end regions of the seats or seat surfaces. An emergency run of the tire is insured due to the fact that the defective tire bears upon or is supported at two rim sections which are spaced from each other. In spite of the aforementioned measures for securing the tire beads at the tire rim by means of the tire rim flanges and the locking rings, it cannot be entirely excluded in this known construction that the tire beads will become disengaged from the tire rim at high loads or stresses acting upon the tire.